Stoker ram



STOKER RAM Fild Sept. 4, 1920' INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

UNITED STATES metres ROBERT A. FORESMAN, F ESSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

STOKER RAM.

To all whom it may concern: A

Be it known that 1, ROBERT A. FORESMAN, a cit izeu of the United States, and a resident of Essington, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in StokerRams, of which the following is a specification. 7 My invention relates to mechanical stokers of the underfeed type, and more particu- 10 larly to the mechanism employed to-drive and control the movement of the reciprocating rams, grates, and agitators employed therein.

The object of my invention is to-produce a simple and durable driving connection between themain' ram-driving mechanism and the secondary rams or moving grates commonly used in this type of Stoker.

I attain this object by means of the stoker 2 mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing. in which the figiu'e shown is a sectional view taken through a stoker-emhodying the features of my invention.

ltcferring to the drawing for a more detailed description of my invention, the

stoker to which the improved, apparatus is applied includes the usual fuel hop-per; 10

and the ram 11 which is reciprocated beneath the fuel discharge opening 12 for the purpose of forcing the fuel into the longitudinally extending retort 13. The ram 11 is reciprocated by means of the usual crank 14 disposed opposite the end of the ram 11 and connected thereto by means of the connecting rod'15. It will be understood that the stoker may he provided with any desired number of retorts, each having fuel-feeding and agitating mechanism similar to that illustrated and that the fuel is forced upward out of the retorts on parallel rows of tuyeres 16 disposed longitudinally between the retorts. The fuel upon the lower portion of the grate is agitated by means of secondary or auxiliary rams'lT'which slide forward and rearward upon the bottom wall 18 in each of the rctorts.

This invention is principally concerned with an improved means for connecting the secondary rams 17 with the main ram 11.

livoted to a lug, 19 cast on the inside or within a cavity of the ram 11 is a lever 20. The secondary ram 17 is connected to the lever 20 by means of the bar 21 which is the length of the pivoted at 22 to the lower end of the lever 20; The underside of the ram 11;is provided with a longitudinal slot 23 communicating with the interior or cavity thereof and the bottom of the hopper casting 10 is provided with a longitudinal slot 24: to permit free movement of the lever 20.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows Assume that, in the position shown in the drawing, the ram 11 is at the end of its stroke. Him the ram is moved toward the left, no motion will be imparted to'the bar 21 at the beginningof the stroke, and the lever 20 will rock about the pivot 22. Vhen the edge 25 of the slot 23 strikes the lever 20, the bar 21 will then be caused to move in the same direction as the ram 11 until the ram reaches the end of its stroke. When the rain starts on its return stroke, no motion will be imparted to the bar at 21 at the beginning of the stroke, and

the lever 20 will rock about the pivot 22" When the edge 26- of the slot 23 strikes the lever 20, the bar 21 will then be caused to move in the same direction as the ram 11 until the ram reaches the end of its stroke.

It will be readily seen thatthe amount of lost motion between the rams, and hence stroke of the secondary ram 17, is determined by the length of the slot 23 in the underside of the main ramll. If the slot 23 and the lever 20 were of the same size, the stroke of the secondary ram would be the same as the stroke of the main ram, and if the slot 23 were made sufliciently lpng no motion would be imparted to the tional part of the stroke of the main ram by properly proportioning the length of the slot- 23. While the main ram is continuously in motion, the secondary ram operates intermittently, stationary part of the time and reciprocating part of the time. The slot 24 must, of course, have sufficient length to allow the nece'ssarymotion of the lever 20.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only Thus the stroke of the secondary ram or ag tator 17 can be made any fracsuch limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is- 1. In combination with an underfeed stoker retort, a hollow fuel feeding ram having a slot therein, means to actuate the ram, a fuel agitating member carried by the retort, and a drivlng connection between the ram and the agitating member including a lever extending through the slot and adapted to motion of the ram in one direction and to engage the other side of the slot on motion in the reverse direction, said lever operatively engaging said ram at at least one point in addition to the sides of said slot.

2. In combination with an underfeed stoker retort, a fuel feeding ram provided with a slot, a fuel agitating member carried by the retort, a lever pivoted to the ram and projecting through the slot, the width of the lever at the slot being less than: the length of the slot, operative connection between the lever and the fuel agitating member, and means for moving the fuel feeding ram.

3. In combination with an underfeed stoker retort, a fuel feeding ram, means for reciprocating said ram, member, a lever pivoted to said ram, a link connecting said lever and said agitating member and means on said ram on either engage one side of the slot on a fuel agitating,

side-of said lever for limiting the relative movement of the lever with respect to. the ram.

link connected to the agitating member for v the actuation thereof, a fuel feeding ram, a lever pivoted to the link, means moving with the rain for imparting to the lever an oscillatory motion during the first p01".- tion of the stroke of the ram, and a translatory motion during the remainder thereof, whereby the initial movement of reciprocation of the fuel agitating member is sub sequent to the initial movement of reciprocation of the ram.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this first day of September, 1920.

4. In combination with an underfeed stoker retort, a fuel agitating member, a

R. A. FORESMAR. 

